The messages flooded in from Ashers' friends in an instant.
Cara: "hello, I will be in the tournament too. Everyone is welcome at our home for training on the weekends."
Jane: "Hi Cara, welcome to the chat. We will be the best group ever!" Jane had taken this as Cara joining the group and Cara had no reason to explain that she was not. She had never planned to join a group but was now in a position to do so.
Jackson: Why am I going to join such an expensive tournament? I know you want us to accomplish things to help us skip a year but this is out of the price range." Jackson was worried over money and had not yet realized they had received funds for it.
Art: Already taken care of. You will have the money when you sign up with your personal information. If you want Asher said it's fine for you to take the herbology academic tournament too." They all knew that Jackson could also easily win this.
Jackson: "I will refund this money to you. The prizes are more than enough to do that. I will start to train my rescue tactics." Jackson felt that he could not throw away the investments his friends had placed on him. He was not one to shy away and let someone down. He may not have the purest control of his super power but that was just a small roadblock in his life.
Louis: I know I am lightning body and what not, but the storm tournament is a survival free for all in a fake storm. How will I survive the wind?" Louis was sure that Sammy would do better before he realized she couldn't withstand the lightning in the air from a major storm.
Asher: "You can take the electrical and mechanical engineering competitions if you want. Although you might fry the things you make." Asher knew that this was the only other place that made sense for Louis.
Louis:" I can try the elemental power tournament. Lightning is like multiple elements right.' Louis had seen this and made the connection that Asher and Art had missed.
Art: "Yes! Go for it. That would make a much bigger splash. Just practice sparring a lot for when you face a ground type super power. Can't have you getting rocks thrown at you." Art was psyched to see Louis choose this tournament. It was often broadcast to many because of the flashy super powers.
Jane: " The shifter tournament will be fun. I doubt opponents will expect my super powers to work together with a full shift." Jane was already building a strategy while on the ridge home. She would surprise her opponents and crush them.
Laura: "Reflex tournament is boring. I don't want to dodge. I want to do the trap field race. One hundred people against a field of different traps! It is just like the obstacle course but better." No one could argue with Laura. She would flat out deny any attempt to get her to change her mind and all just send thumbs up to her.
Sammy: " I fall asleep on the ride home and you all make Louis wake me up." Sammy sent many tired and angry faces to the group before she read the tournament lists. "You all know I can't fly yet, right?'
Asher: "I believe you will be able to before the tournament. You can already slow everyones' falls down and that was in less than a week of practice. Imagine reaching the sky and becoming the fastest racer there is in the air." Asher played the perfect card top cause Sammys' imagination to run wild. He had caught on to her strong emotions when it came to flight and used them to push her farther.
Sammy: " I will look up some aerodynamics notes. I am muting the chat for now." The group watched as Sammy and then Louis muted the chat for a whole day.
Art: "I will meet with coach Winters and ask for additional studying and tutoring for the traditional martial arts tournament. It is my strength to have a rigid style." Art had understood this was the best for him. His movements were still and he would use the straightforward and classic moves with precision.
Asher: "I will be using my luck and challenge the randomness of the unknown." Asher finished things up with this and received a few thumbs up from the others. This was all they needed while everyone started to research their topics. Cara had not said anything making Art and Asher wonder why.
When they looked to her seat they found she was furiously setting up a training plan for the race she wanted to do. Her super power revolved around sound, which she could constantly make with her voice. This meant that she needed strong lungs which she trained through long distance running. This race was the perfect place to display her hard training.
"I think we should start to set up our training plans too." Asher had the feeling that if he and Art slacked then they would fall extremely far behind before even getting close to catching Cara in their training. The two spent the remainder of the bus ride doing just this.
By the time they all arrived home night had more than set in and the three came home to an empty house. "Mom and Dad are still out on their date day. I didn't think they would be home...we should order takeout."
"What? Takeout? Who would eat that when I can make us some speedy stir fried rice?" Art had been missing a real kitchen and was already halfway in the kitchen. Before they knew it the entire house was filled with the aroma of heaven.
Asher and Cara found themselves eating the best stir fried rice they had ever eaten. Meanwhile, Art was eating his third bowl as well. The three were loading up for a return to the normal training routine in the morning and this was the perfect fuel they would need. They made their way to bed soon after to sleep early.